For all those that panicked after Wes moved on to Denver, they should be kicking themselves for feeling that way. This will be a good receiving core if we can land Sanders. Tom is going to have some fun this year.

It will be interesting to see what the Steelers do here. If they lose him they'll be paper thin at WR.

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We already have a sanders thread..so mods can we merge? i don't know were to post.

If it's anything more that 4 mill the first year or two..no way they can match it. They are in trouble with the cap. Need $$ for their draft picks. I don't see hoe pitt can match if pats played it smart. They know Pitt can't match a front loaded contract and i bet that's what they did

(i) The contract of a Veteran Player may not be renegotiated to increase the Salary to be paid to the player during the original terms of the contract for a period of twelve months after the player‚Äôs most recent contract renegotiation. The first renegotiation of a Veteran Player Contract, however, may take place at any time.

It would be great if we can sign him and then restructure to move the first years salary (other than bonus) to a bonus.

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‚ÄúRookie‚ÄĚ means a person who has never before signed a Player Contract with an NFL Club. The first Player Contract signed by such person is a ‚ÄúRookie Contract.‚ÄĚ
[...]
‚ÄúVeteran‚ÄĚ means a player who has signed at least one Player Contract with an NFL Club.

c) No First Refusal Exercise Notice. If the Prior Club does not give the Restricted Free Agent the First Refusal Exercise Notice within the applicable period, the player and the New Club shall be deemed to have entered into a binding agreement, which they shall prompdy formalize in a Player Contract, containing (i) all the Principal Terms; (ii) those terms of the NFL Player Contract not modified by the Principal Terms; and (ii)i such additional terms, not less favorable to the Restricted Free Agent than those contained in the Offer Sheet, as may be agreed upon between the Restricted . . . The player and the New Club may not renegotiate such Player Contract to reduce the Salary in such contract until after the end of the first regular season covered by the Contract. Neither the player nor the New Club may exercise an option in such Player Contract that reduces Salary in the first League Year of such contract until after the end of the first regular season covered by the Contract.

Maybe Arrington's contract is bonus heavy and backloaded to make room for a 4 year front loaded contract.

What I don't like about this is that the Steelers have a week to consider it. There is seemingly no reason they wouldn't wait the whole time unless there is a trade. Presumably, the offer involves a good size year one cap hit, so the Patriots need to hold that money back for a week. I am just skeptical that this will work. I think there is a reason RFAs never leave their teams -- only one has moved in four years. Lockng up a few mil for a week while other FAs get signed and then losing him because the Steelers find a way to restructure somebody would stink.

Also, this doesn't really seem like a really great year to give up a 3d.

c) No First Refusal Exercise Notice. If the Prior Club does not give the Restricted Free Agent the First Refusal Exercise Notice within the applicable period, the player and the New Club shall be deemed to have entered into a binding agreement, which they shall prompdy formalize in a Player Contract, containing (i) all the Principal Terms; (ii) those terms of the NFL Player Contract not modified by the Principal Terms; and (ii)i such additional terms, not less favorable to the Restricted Free Agent than those contained in the Offer Sheet, as may be agreed upon between the Restricted . . . The player and the New Club may not renegotiate such Player Contract to reduce the Salary in such contract until after the end of the first regular season covered by the Contract. Neither the player nor the New Club may exercise an option in such Player Contract that reduces Salary in the first League Year of such contract until after the end of the first regular season covered by the Contract.

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I stand partially corrected.

In any case, the key point is that they ARE allowed to renegotiate in the first year, but there are limits.

Former Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli called Sanders (5-11, 180) one of the underrated talents on the free-agent market and superior to any pass-catcher the Patriots could acquire in the third round of the draft. The Steelers are tight to the salary cap, so if the Patriots truly are interested it might not be too hard to craft an offer that is acceptable to Sanders and at the same time tough for the Steelers to match.

Says offer is front loaded (to be expected) No way pitt can match it...right?

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Given what TomPatriot posted above (stupid poorly-organized CBA), it would be hard, since they don't have much cap room, and they have no choice but to match the terms exactly.

OTOH, looking more closely at the definitions section:

‚ÄúSalary‚ÄĚ means any compensation of money, property, investments, loans, or anything else of value that a Club pays to, or is obligated to pay to, a player or Player Affiliate, or is paid to a third party at the request of and for the benefit of a player or Player Affiliate, during a League Year, as calculated in accordance with the rules set forth in Article 13.

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So it's possible that converting annual salary to signing bonus‚ÄĒso long as the total salary doesn't drop‚ÄĒis allowed.